CHAPTER ONE- Flor De La Mar

My eyes were stuck and I barely feel my arms as I put down the shovel into the muddy surface. My eyes are fixed at the hole I dug as if the time stopped for me. I felt it again, the tiredness of my legs. I sat down the mud. It is a very exhausting day. And as I sat down, I felt a bit proud finding the thing I've always wanted to find. I saw Johnny with a big smile on his face. He is filled with amusement.

"Javier, is this real?!" Johnny shouted.

I slowly pulled the cigarette in my pocket. Lit it, then I smoked.

"Yes, Johnny. I think this is real." I said.

"It's true what father used to tell us. Javier, we are rich!" Johnny.

I stopped and smoke as my eyes are still fixed at the hole.

"It was never sunk, it was taken and buried here." I said.

"Our ancestor is a real genius, yeah?" Johnny as he inspected the gold coins on the chest.

"Do you think he's genius because he took this gold for us or what?" I said

"Although this treasure is not really meant for us. It was meant for his lady waiting for her. And he knows he won't be coming back as he would never be able to reach Portuguese." I added.

"Aren't you happy, Javier? This is a lot of money right here!" Johnny.

"Slightly. And is slightly sad for the lady which too died of suicide after he realized her husband is dead. She did not understand Estevão's clue about the treasure."

"Doesn't matter. THESE ARE PURE MONEY!" Johnny.

"Hey! Don't shout. Have you got no sense? If other people hear they'd come and get these. You get it?" I told him in a low tone.

"Alright, sorry Javier." Johnny.

"Now call the family and bring them here. Tell them it's time." I said

Johnny went on his way.

"Stubborn Estevão." I said

I started checking on the contents of the chest and realized that the contents are just part of the unfound treasure. There are no full-size golden lions. Just some gold jewelries, tin, silver, and coppers, and most of them are gold coins ranging to thousands. And this golden figure of a lizard took my attention. It is quite small, so I took and kept it to my pocket.

I already knew that things will start to shift. We are just coal-makers. Our father used to tell story about the treasure buried around our backyard but no one seems to believe. But I am a very curious man. For months, I've studied the surface and I found this suspicious portion of place around at the back of the house. And here I found the treasure. I already knew that I have to consider all possibilities.

Dan, Mathilda, and Uncle Rick came.

"Where's Hermione and Markus?" I said.

"We don't know, Javier. What did you find?" Rick.

I made a gesture pointing towards the treasure.

Uncle Rick always manage to control his emotions as me, that is why he did not make much happy face. But Mathilda and Dan were very amused. Their eyes became much shinier than the golds itself.

"O my god, Javier." Mathilda as he touches the golds.

"Javier, we can buy a fortune with this." Dan

"We will, Danny. We will." I said

Uncle Rick looked at me as he understands my doubts and what I really feel as he lit his cigar.

He walked towards me and stopped beside me looking at the treasure chest.

"What are your plans?" Rick.

I looked at a space and said "Sell." I said.

Uncle Rick looked at me and sharpened his eyes then he chuckled. He never ceased to amaze me as he can always manage to read what's in my mind.

"I know a good shop that pays good for these stuffs, Jav." Dan said proudly.

"If you want, I can arrange it now. We will be rich!" Dan continued.

Uncle Rick smirked and I looked at him with a laughing eye.

"What do you think, Uncle?" I said.

"I do not want to interfere, but I don't like what's on your mind, Javier." Rick.

Dan looked at us confused.

"What?" Dan

"Mathilda." I said

Mathilda looked at me with a curious face as if she senses that I am about to do something bad.

"Contact the National Convention and Historical Museum. Tell them I have something that they might be interested in." I said.

"If you have a fortune like this you do not sell this cheap to locals, Dan." I continued.

"Now take this inside the house. Store it on the room. And DO NOT TELL THIS TO ANYONE. Okay, Dan?" I said.

"Alright. Why them? Eh?" Dan.

"Them because I told it so." I said.

I walked away and uncle Rick followed me.

"Congrats on finding the treasure." Rick.

"I dug a very deep hole. I need to rest, Uncle." I said.

We continued walking. I was planning on sleeping. I don't feel that much happy about the treasure.

"You are going to rest because you know that there won't be another 'rest' ahead. Eh? Javier?" Rick.

I looked at uncle Rick and said "At second thought, I think I need to discuss something with you, Uncle."

We entered the house and entered the kitchen. I sat down at the couch.

"Whiskey or beer?" Rick

"It's a celebration. Whiskey." I said.

Uncle poured down a glass of beer.

"beer, Javier." As he handed the beer to me.

I made a three-second eye to eye contact with him and drank the beer.

"It really is hard to talk about things people won't understand, yes?" Rick.

"Uncle, I dug a hole right there. And I am planning to dig another hole." I said.

"I think I already understand. NCHM? They killed your father." Rick.

"You see, Uncle. I am a man with plans. Those treasures right there will absolutely catch their attention. That is why I am digging another hole and lead them towards their burial." I said.

"You do not want the money." Rick.

I looked at the floor and drank the beer.

"Beer, good for giving courage in times of trouble." I said.

Uncle sat down and drank beer. He looked at an empty space and we made a silent ambience for a while. The he said.

"As if beer would give you the right courage that you need ahead." Rick as he looked me in the eye.

"The courage is within me, Uncle." I said.

"You know it's funny, right? Those people always think that we cannot have an edge. They didn't believe your dad. Now his son discovered the treasure." Rick.

"I think I already know what happened, Uncle." I said.

Uncle looked at me with a curious face.

"A month before dad died, some of their people dug a hole near the beach of Carynx. My thought is that dad gave them a wrong coordinate about the treasure to see if they can be trusted. But they manage to dig no treasures and shot him. Dad sacrificed his life for us to know that NCHM cannot be trusted." I said.

"Yeah, that's why I was wondering why you wanted to talk and negotiate with them. But you won't tell us right, Javier?" Rick.

I stared at a space.

"I won't negotiate because I have all the cards." I said.

A silence occurred.

"Tell me how you found the treasure." Rick

"Well, I found this suspicious portion of land. Dug it and boom." I said.

"I am not an idiot." Rick

Uncle looked at me. And I looked at a space.

"There's a letter. Dad told me to dig a hole at that spot. Estevão never buried it there. Dad already found it years ago and just moved it there." I said.

"Your father is a real genius." Rick.

"He is old. He sensed his death before the grim does. But it is stupid how he does things." I said.

"You are not gonna tell them?" Rick

"Don't tell them. The less they know, the less trouble for them." I said.

Uncle looked at me.

"Whatever it is you are planning, I am trusting you. If you need me, just tell me." Rick.

"That's why I am talking to you right now." I said.

I looked at him.

"You have contacts with our folks in Viscand town, right? Because I am planning on creating an organization, Uncle. You have this kind of fortune, you don't show it to the thief without proper protection." I said.

"But you said you are not after the money? How would you create such organization?" Rick.

"Yes, I did not ask for money. Because money came to me, Uncle." I said.

Mathilda came at the door and said "Jav, the chairman of the NCHM will visit us tomorrow."

I looked at uncle Rick.

"See?" I said.

"And yes, Uncle. You have to transfer the gold to the place that only you and I know." I said.

Uncle Rick smiled, stood, and went on his way.

"What place?" Mathilda.

"The neverland." I said and lay down the couch and slept.